Service Description

Allergy patch testing is a common allergy testing method used to confirm the cause of allergic contact dermatitis in a patient. Allergy patch testing is also a preferred method for identifying delayed allergic reactions that may take several days to present and are known as type IV hypersensitivity reactions. It is an easy and topical process that involves little pain or inconvenience for a patient. All testing is done on the upper back so as not to limit a patient’s movement. The procedure involves no pricks or scratches to the skin. Patch testing is a different procedure than skin prick testing. Skin prick testing is used by allergists to determine which foods or allergens are triggering an acute or immediate allergic reaction in a patient. Patch testing, on the other hand, is used solely to determine whether a patient’s dermatitis is caused by some substance in the patient’s environment, including metals, preservatives, medications, etc